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OWASP HOME
OWASP is a community producing free security resources: the Top 10, ASVS, cheat sheets, ZAP, dependency-check, and more. Defensive foundation for any team.
OWASP — homepage
EXAMPLE
# ===== The big artefacts ===== # OWASP Top 10 the most-known list (2021 version, due to refresh) # OWASP ASVS Application Security Verification Standard (levels 1/2/3) # OWASP Cheat Sheet Series pragmatic per-topic guidance # OWASP ZAP free DAST scanner # OWASP Dependency-Check SCA for known CVEs in deps # OWASP SAMM Software Assurance Maturity Model # ===== Top 10 (2021), at a glance ===== # A01 Broken access control # A02 Cryptographic failures # A03 Injection (including XSS) # A04 Insecure design # A05 Security misconfiguration # A06 Vulnerable / outdated components # A07 ID + authentication failures # A08 Software + data integrity failures # A09 Security logging + monitoring failures # A10 SSRF # Each item maps to controls you can apply in code + infrastructure. # ===== Defensive baseline (pick one per category) ===== # Access control: deny by default; central authorisation layer; tests # Crypto: AEAD primitives, KMS-wrapped keys, no DIY # Injection: parameterise queries, escape templates, sanitise allowlists # Design: threat model per feature; abuse cases in stories # Misconfig: IaC + CIS benchmarks + drift detection # Components: SCA in CI (npm audit, Snyk, Dependabot, OSV) # Authn: modern auth (OIDC), MFA, rate limit, lockouts, recovery flow # Integrity: signed artifacts, supply chain checks (SLSA / sigstore) # Logging: structured logs + 90d retention + alerts on shape changes # SSRF: outbound allowlists; metadata service blocked; URL validation # ===== Practical first steps ===== # 1. Pick OWASP ASVS Level 1 as the floor for any app # 2. Add ZAP baseline scan to weekly CI on staging # 3. Add dependency scanning to PR checks (Snyk / npm audit / OSV) # 4. Tabletop the Top 10 each quarter; map controls to your code # ===== When OWASP wins ===== # - Any team that needs a starting point for AppSec # - Compliance frameworks (PCI, ISO 27001) reference it # - Free, vendor-neutral, regularly updated # ===== Patterns to internalise ===== # - Use the cheat sheets as canonical references in code review # - Treat the Top 10 as a CHECKLIST, not a list of bug fixes # - Pair every offensive finding with a detection rule + hardening control # - Authorise testing in writing before any keystrokes # ===== Pitfalls ===== # - Trophy hunting the Top 10 without ASVS to depth # - ZAP scans on prod (use staging that mirrors prod) # - Ignoring component vulns until quarterly review # - 'We did the Top 10' as if it is a finish line
Why it matters
OWASP is the free starter pack for application security. The Top 10 is the floor; ASVS is the depth; cheat sheets are the daily reference; ZAP + dependency-check are the tools. Anchor your AppSec practice on these and most of the obvious classes of bug stop slipping through.
Tip: Tweak the snippet with Try it Yourself », then sit the quiz at the bottom of the page.
Example
Example
// OWASP Top 10 (2021): the ten categories of the most critical web risks. // A01 → A10. Updated periodically by the Open Worldwide Application Security Project.Try it Yourself »
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